


Ashes (we all fall down)

by midnightventstonobody



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fights, Friends to Enemies, Liam Payne - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, MITAM tour, Misunderstandings, Niall Horan - Freeform, OT5, Poor Niall Horan, Protective Louis, Tension, Zayn Malik - Freeform, he’s just really confused throughout most of this, poor Zayn too tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-18 08:28:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20636153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightventstonobody/pseuds/midnightventstonobody
Summary: Niall Horan is part of the sensational pop band One Direction. Everything's going steady until he is diagnosed with lung cancer.Things progressively worsen when a doctor tells the group there is smoke in his lungs which could more than likely be the cause of cancer. None of them smoke though, not much anyway.That is apart from their ex-bandmember Zayn Malik. Considering Zayn didn't leave on the best foot with the band, this only increases the tension between them. Drama gets worse when Modest! decides to announce they've chosen One Direction's new opening act for their MITAM tour. Who is it? The one and only, Zayn Malik.//AU where 1D didn't go on a Hiatus//





	1. Teaser

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly wrote this in intermediate, but I don’t hate the plot so this snippet is from like the middle of it (I think) and if anyone cares I might actually write it. (lol)

“Where are my fucking cigarettes?!” Zayn roared, closing the distance between the two with intimidating strides. His eyes were the bright colour of golden brown, lit by fury and madness.

“How would I know?” Niall’s voice was low and loathing, the Irish lad was glaring profusely at his ex-bandmate. He held no fear for that pitiful asshole.

“Bloody hell,” the taller of the two growled as he stopped mid-stride. “What is wrong with you?! Why are you acting like a pathetic child?” Niall’s reaction was a face of pure resentment. Zayn, however, continued speaking before he could respond. “It’s because I left, isn’t it? Flaming heck you are so damn dependent! If the band broke up, I wouldn’t be surprised to find you starving out on the streets.” The last sentence, which was said in a low, menacing hiss, had a visible effect on Niall. The blond flinched and took a step back, pushing back his shoulders, masking the posture of confidence and forcing himself to hold eye contact with the man who ruined his life.

“You are in no position to even speak like that. The band is not breaking up just because you left, stop being so goddamn conceited! Louis, Harry, Liam and I are committed, unlike you. So what if I’m dependent?! At least I don’t shut everyone out! At least I’m not a rotten druggie! Tell me, Malik, how many do you have in a day? How fast are you killing yourself?” Niall was seething, his fists clenched tightly together, head tilted and lips drawn back in a snarl. No sound was made from Zayn, as he stood seemingly paralysed, an expression of blatant shock displayed on his face. “Or, should I say-” Niall let out an inhumane snicker, his glare strengthening- “how fast are you killing someone else?”

“I… I- What?” To say Zayn was startled was a great understatement. There was no anger on his face anymore, the hostility that had previously been so prominent was gone. The only emotion visible in his eyes was confusion, which was quickly replaced by a curtain of concern.

Niall released an emotionless, broken chuckle.

“You,” he raised a shaking hand, pointing an accusing finger at Zayn. The calm demeanour had been removed, replaced by an unhealthy amount of fury. “You fucking heard me.”

“Niall, what are you talking about?” The brunettes tone was cautious. He swayed slightly, torn between stepping forward to comfort the quaking boy or taking a step back and giving Niall more space. Niall took a harsh step forward, scoffing at the clueless Bradford lad. This resulted in Zayn making his decision and taking a hasty step backwards.

“My god, Zayn, how ignorant can you be?” He took several more dangerous steps towards his former bandmate, the hostile glare remaining on his face. It was only when they were mere centimetres apart did Niall resolve Zayn’s confusion. “I have cancer.” the Irish boy shoved him as hard as he could. He channelled all his anger into that push. “You gave me cancer. It’s all your fault!”

“Niall I don’t… Why would… Why would you say that I don’t understand.” Zayn fell when the blond had lashed out physically. In fear of angering the smaller boy more, he stayed on the ground.

“You know what Malik?! I’m so over your bullshit. Here-” Zayn was struck in the chest with a pack of cigarettes. “Have your death sticks, like I care anymore.” The furious male stormed away, leaving behind a stunned Brit, alone on the concrete of a parking lot that the One Direction tour bus currently vacated.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first sob pierced Zayn’s heart and tore a gaping hole right in the middle of it. He clenched his fists and forced his glazed over eyes to continue staring mindlessly at the television. It was hard to ignore when every sound was tearing him to pieces but he had to. The dark-haired lad knew if he went in there he’d only make things worse. The broken boy had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with Zayn or his “death sticks”

Zayn’s emotionless face held no hints to the mental battle he was currently fighting. What does he do? Just sit here, prioritising television over a human being? How can he just ignore the desolating cries of the shattered lad he used to call a brother? The gears in his head were turning too fast for his mind to process the thoughts. Does he go and console Niall, or stay here acting oblivious to the heartbreakingly upset Irish boy mere metres away from him? Stay… Or go? Stay, or go?

The conflicted boy had started scratching at his arm, voicing his thoughts in low, almost incomprehensible murmurs. “Stay, or-”

“Well doesn’t that sound bloody familiar” A voice sneered from behind the couch Zayn currently vacated. Zayn whipped his head around, startled out of his current dilemma.

A horrible feeling stirred in the dark-haired boy's stomach as he stared at Niall. Never had Zayn seen his ex-bandmate look so sickly, so torn.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm so sorry... There is like no clear point of view and this is really messy but I just wanted to get it up this weekend. Will probably (hopefully) edit soon.

“You have to come back inside” Liam sighed, exhaustion and impatience heavy in his voice. 

“It depends” Louis’ eyes are cold and sharp as they zero in on his bandmate. “Are they still planning to bring that tosser back?” 

“It's our job, Louis. It pays well and you know that we will benefit from this.” Despite his calm exterior, Liam’s tolerance for his bandmate was wearing thin. Almost as if part of a standoff, Louis leant away from the brick wall and turned around so he was facing Liam.

“Nothing,” He was visibly seething, hands clenched robotically at his sides as he almost shook with rage “could _ ever _be a benefit from that man.” Something snapped in Liam then, the tension in the air had been walking a thin line, and it fell into hostility at that moment in time. 

“Listen, this is happening whether you like it or not. You are inconveniencing everyone right now, this isn’t just your career you are throwing down the drain. You get that?” He took a step closer to Louis, holding eye contact as he kept a steady volume and tone, which could almost be described as patronising. “I have had just about enough of you using Ni- of using the _ current situation _ as your own emotional excuse to throw tantrums. You need to stop acting like a petulant child, apologise for your extremely rude exit from the meeting and sign those papers.” 

Several minutes of silence followed Liam’s monologue as the two boys stared each other down. The glaring exchange ended when Louis begrudgingly and hesitantly conceded, bowing his head and muttering characteristically childish remarks. He stumbled past Liam on his way back into the intimidating building. The brown-eyed lad watched him go, noticing the visible slump in his posture. It looked as if the weight of their situation was physically resting on Louis’ shoulders.

\----

"So... Zayn's back." Harry, sitting next to Niall on his ‘DIY’ throne of old pizza boxes, couldn't help but snort at the Irish lad’s abrasive remark. 

"Eloquent as ever, Horan." A plush cushion left Niall's hand and smacked Harry in the head. Niall reached across the sofa and put another cushion in his lap, daring Harry to say something else. 

"He's not _ back, _he's only opening for us.” Louis leant back on his side of the L-shaped sofa. “If we're lucky we won't even have to see him." There was a small 'oof' as Liam threw a slice of buttered bread at Louis' head. From the cushion to the bread, objects were flying everywhere and no bandmember was safe. "Now was that really necessary?" Instead of a verbal response, Liam threateningly buttered another slice of the bread. "Okay okay, I get it. Sorry." A comfortable silence fell over the tour bus, only disrupted occasionally by Liam slapping Harry's thieving hands away from his bread. He could thank his height for allowing him to reach the kitchen table while remaining seated on his pizza thrown. 

“Bowling?” Three sets of confused eyes landed on Niall, who was perched on the end of the red sofa, fiddling with the corner of the cushion he hadn’t yet lobbed at Harry. 

“Niall… You can’t honestly expect any of us to know what you mean by a single verb.” The man in question only looked guilty for a couple of seconds before he perked back up, getting to his feet. 

“Zayn likes bowling right? So we should take him!” Liam couldn’t help but smile and nod encouragingly at Niall, he’d never seen his bandmate look so passionate over Zayn’s liking of bowling. Louis, however, was unaffected by the younger’s expression of glee and paired a disapproving scoff with the crossing of his arms. 

“He only likes it ‘cause he’s good at it. Why are we talking about this, anyway? We won’t be _ taking _the man anywhere. He’s here for a job. Nothing else.” Harry and Liam simultaneously released disappointed air. They all watched Niall deflate insecurely, rubbing his arm and sitting back down. 

“Ni I… I’m sorry. I just- I don’t understand why you would even _ want _ to see him. We all know what he did, it’s okay to be angry.” Niall shook his head rapidly, placing the cushion back into his lap. 

“I don’t want to be angry Lou, what’s the point? I… He didn’t mean to…” After two attempts Niall trailed off, picking at a loose piece of fluff on the cushion. “I just don’t want to, okay? Could we just… Be nice? Please?” The hopeful glint in his eyes shone like knives, which were consequently stabbing Louis in his conscience over and over again. A hesitant nod was all it took for Niall to leap across the sofa and hug Louis, burying his face in the older boys neck. It took the shorter of the two several seconds to recover from the shock of Niall’s sudden movements. Once he did, he reminded his limbs to hug the boy back. 

\----

Niall left the room shortly after embracing Louis and the three boys sat in silence for a couple of minutes, attempting to comprehend everything that had just happened. 

“I… Niall has been acting a little… I don’t want to say bipolar but-”

“Then don’t.” Louis’ response was quick and defensive, he glared half-heartedly at Harry, leaning forward on the sofa. 

“What would you call it then?” Harry did not get a reply from Louis, as Liam was faster to respond and defuse the situation before Louis caused the second yelling match of the day. 

“He’s still adjusting. That was some… harsh news to get and he hasn’t quite worked out how to handle it yet.” The silence that followed was confirmation that the other two British boys in the room agreed with Liam. “And until he’s come to terms with the… the current situation, there will be no judging Niall for how he acts.” Harry hung his head in shame and embarrassment. “There also will be no more impulsively rude statements that can easily be kept to yourself.” Louis’ eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he ran a quick hand through his hair and hunched forward, spitting his words towards the floor. 

“I would never hurt Niall. I’m only trying to-” 

“Protect him? I know, Lou. We all are.” The nickname felt too intimate at this moment, making the sentence hit the Doncaster lad twice as hard as it normally would. Liam was only trying to help, he cared about Niall too and there was no point in holding a grudge against him. After a significant pause, Louis gave a short nod and whispered a quiet but sincere ‘_sorry _’. Liam exited the kitchen, giving him a squeeze on his shoulder and turning back around. He opened the door and continued his way to the bunk Niall currently occupied down the hall. 


End file.
